3 ms·

I do think there is more of a feeling of attachment to the machinery with manual transmissions. Germany is a huge exporter of precision-engineering so there mi

I do think there is more of a feeling of attachment to the machinery with manual transmissions. Germany is a huge exporter of precision-engineering so there might be a cultural sentiment there.

jdietrich 7y ago
Manual transmissions are the default in most of Europe. They're cheaper, they're more efficient and they make the most of small engines with limited torque.
- dsfyu404ed 7y ago
  >They're cheaper Not substantially. >they're more efficient Not any more. >they make the most of small engines with limited torque. Ding. Ding. Ding. We have a winner! People like manuals because they can choose when to up-shift whereas the guys programming the automatic transmission will program it to up-shift as soon as they think they can get away with (for fuel economy and emissions). With a manual you can let your 1L hornets nest scream along at 4k all the time giving you close to peak power on tap whenever you want it. Basically manuals are a hack around regulations that force manufactures to build cars with performance characteristics nobody wants (under-powered engines and transmissions that up-shift at the drop of a hat). Those regulations are much stronger in Europe so the value proposition of a manual transmission is better there.
  - jfengel 7y ago
    force manufactures to build cars with performance characteristics nobody wants Well... performance characteristics that everybody wants -- for everybody else. They themselves want warp drive, but prefer everybody else help hold down the price of gasoline and the carbon content of the atmosphere.
  - ric2b 7y ago
    Most of the time I drive economically and up-shift very early. Sometimes I want to have some fun and fly out of corners at 4 or 5K on my small 1200cc car. Can't do that with most automatics.
- chosenbreed37 7y ago
  I wish they were cheaper. I paid a premium for an automatic. It also limited the vehicles I could choose from.

I do think there is more of a feeling of attachment to the machinery with manual transmissions. Germany is a huge exporter of precision-engineering so there might be a cultural sentiment there.

jdietrich 7y ago

Manual transmissions are the default in most of Europe. They're cheaper, they're more efficient and they make the most of small engines with limited torque.

dsfyu404ed 7y ago
>They're cheaper Not substantially. >they're more efficient Not any more. >they make the most of small engines with limited torque. Ding. Ding. Ding. We have a winner! People like manuals because they can choose when to up-shift whereas the guys programming the automatic transmission will program it to up-shift as soon as they think they can get away with (for fuel economy and emissions). With a manual you can let your 1L hornets nest scream along at 4k all the time giving you close to peak power on tap whenever you want it. Basically manuals are a hack around regulations that force manufactures to build cars with performance characteristics nobody wants (under-powered engines and transmissions that up-shift at the drop of a hat). Those regulations are much stronger in Europe so the value proposition of a manual transmission is better there.
- jfengel 7y ago
  force manufactures to build cars with performance characteristics nobody wants Well... performance characteristics that everybody wants -- for everybody else. They themselves want warp drive, but prefer everybody else help hold down the price of gasoline and the carbon content of the atmosphere.
- ric2b 7y ago
  Most of the time I drive economically and up-shift very early. Sometimes I want to have some fun and fly out of corners at 4 or 5K on my small 1200cc car. Can't do that with most automatics.
chosenbreed37 7y ago
I wish they were cheaper. I paid a premium for an automatic. It also limited the vehicles I could choose from.